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VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Whitecaps, through a plethora of moves, have bolstered their midfield and forward positions this spring, so it seemed appropriate that an addition to the back line was next.

The Whitecaps announced Wednesday they acquired 33-year-old centre back Andy O’Brien from Leeds United AFC of the English League Championship, making it the ninth roster move — 10 if you include swapping draft picks and allocation with the Philadelphia Union — for the local Major League Soccer club since the middle of June.

O’Brien, who scored twice in 38 appearances with Leeds United, joins the Vancouver side with more than 300 appearances in the English Premier League and nearly 500 games as a professional.

He has appeared in 14 matches over four years for Newcastle United FC in the UEFA Champions League.

It’s an impressive resume, one that speaks not so much of offensive capabilities — he has only 13 goals in 486 career matches — but to experience on the back line.

And so the internal competition at the Whitecaps’ centre back position begins. Jay DeMerit, the team captain, and Martin Bonjour already bear that position, and have made sound contributions given the Whitecaps nine clean sheets this season.

But, as the club pushes for a playoff position in its sophomore MLS campaign — currently sitting fourth in the Western Conference standings and one point ahead of the fifth-place L.A. Galaxy — adding depth was deemed essential.

“For us to have a player like that is real exciting for us,” said head coach Martin Rennie, later adding the club had been pursuing O’Brien for “the last maybe 10 days, or so.”

“For us to be able to get him is a big, big signing. We’re excited that he’s here. He’ll add a lot of competition to our team, competition that we’ve not really had at centre back for a little while now.

“He’s a fantastic defender … he’s aggressive, he’s strong, he’s good in the air, he organizes well. But he’s one of those guys who studies the opposition, he knows what other player’s tendencies are, and he brings that kind of leadership and that kind of qualities to other players who are maybe just learning that.”

O’Brien, who is originally from Harrogate, a “spa” town in North Yorkshire, England, met with the media at the Whitecaps front office facility in Gastown Wednesday morning.

He flew back to his homeland soon after, and will return to Vancouver next week for training.

O’Brien was recently released from Leeds United, making him a free agent and eligible to sign with the Whitecaps as an international player after the closing of the North American transfer window on July 27.

His last few months with Leeds were, at times, tenuous. The club originally took disciplinary measures after O’Brien refused to play a match in November against Burnley, according to the U.K. newspaper Daily Mail, but it was later discovered the defender was suffering from depression. He received treatment at Sporting Chance clinic, said the Daily Mail.

He has since moved on, admitting he had other offers from clubs in England, but elected Vancouver and MLS instead.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, as per the Whitecaps club policy, but it is a multi-year contract that does not include designated player status.

“Playing in MLS is something that I’ve wanted to do and this was the opportunity to do it,” said O’Brien. “The facilities, the manager, the club have shown a desire to get me, so that’s why I’m here today.

“Being at Leeds was my hometown club. So, I’m giving up where my family’s from and things like that, but ... the most important thing is I’ve been made welcome here.”

The newest Whitecaps defender also offers a notable international resume. With dual British-Irish citizenship, O’Brien has chosen to represent the Republic of Ireland on the world’s soccer stage, playing for the Irish side in the 2002 FIFA World Cup and appearing in 26 matches between 2001 and 2006.

At 6-3 and 175 pounds, O’Brien brings more size to the back line, but he’d rather not discuss his attributes on the pitch.

“I’ll leave it for others to draw an opinion,” said O’Brien. “Football is about opinions at the end of the day … if I can do what it does on paper, hopefully it will be mutually good for both of us.”

Fans could start forming an opinion of O’Brien as soon as Aug. 11, when the Whitecaps, out of MLS regular-season action for two weeks, conclude a prolonged home-and-home series with Real Salt Lake at BC Place Stadium.

“Possibly, yeah,” said Rennie, who added O’Brien has been training before his arrival in Vancouver.

“That might be a little soon, but in that kind of ballpark, he should be ready to get into the squad, I think.”

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